African violet plant named Little Pearl

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of African violet named Little Pearl which is a sport of Little Rose Quartz disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6110. Little Pearl is characterized by its miniature growth habit; very light pinkish white, semi-double flowers; 7-9 petals per flower, the ones in the center being much smaller and covering up the anthers; strong stems which curve toward the center to form a compact bouquet above the leaves; profuse and continuous flowering; medium green, spear to heart-shaped leaves; flowering 10-11 weeks after planting of unrooted shoot, and by its long lasting and non-dropping flowers.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of Africanviolet plant, botanically known as Saintpaulia ionantha, and hereinafterreferred to by the cultivar name Little Pearl.

The new cultivar was referred to during the breeding and selectionprocess by the designation M/H 540 and is a sport of Little Rose Quartz,disclosed in my U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,110, granted Feb. 16, 1988. Thefemale, or seed parent of Little Rose Quartz was a cultivar designatedSaintpaulia schumensis. The male, or pollen parent of Little Rose Quartzwas a cultivar designated Z41/S Mini pink. Little Pearl is similar inall essential respects to Little Rose Quartz except for its pinkishwhite color and the larger size of the petals. Little Pearl wasdiscovered in a flowering block of the parent cultivar Little RoseQuartz, and subsequently selected. Asexual reproduction of the new leafcultivar by leaf cuttings, as performed by me at Haffen, West Germany,has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as hereindisclosed for the new cultivar are firmly fixed and retained throughsuccessive generations of asexual reproduction.

Little Pearl has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity and day length. Thefollowing observations, measurements and values describe the newcultivar as grown in a 4 cm pot in Haffen, West Germany and Nashville,Tenn. under greenhouse conditions which closely approximate thosegenerally used in commercial practice.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of Little Pearl, which in combinationdistinguish this african violet as a new and distinct cultivar:

(1) Little Pearl is a miniature and will not grow taller than 6 cm.

(2) Very light pinkish white semi-double flowers.

(3) Strong wirelike and upright flower stems curving toward the center.

(4) First flash of flowers form a tight bouquet above the leaves.

(5) Profuse flowering and continuous blooming.

(6) Each plant carries 8 and more upright flower stems each of whichcarries 5 and more flowers.

(7) Long lasting, non-dropping flowers.

(8) Plant saleable 10 to 11 weeks after planting of unrooted shoot.

(9) Seed capsules push slightly through.

(10) Medium green hairy leaves.

(11) Spear to heart-shaped leaves are 1.5 to 2.3 cm in length.

(11) After maturity the flowers dry off and remain on the peduncle.

The accompanyng color photographic drawing shows a typical specimenplant of the new cultivar grown in a 4 cm pot. The plant is picturednext to a pencil, highlighting the miniature size and growth habit ofLittle Pearl. The colors appearing in the photograph are as true aspossible with color illustrations of this type.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.), except where general colorsof ordinary significance are referred to. Color values were taken undernatural sunlight conditions at approximately 1 p.m. in Nashville, Tenn.

Botanical classification: Saintpaulia ionantha, Ramat., c.v. LittlePearl.

Parentage: Sport of Little Rose Quartz, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.6,110.

Propagation: The new cultivar holds its distinguishing characteristicsthrough successive propagations by leaf cuttings.

Plant: From 5 to 6 cm tall when grown in pots, and approximately 8-10 cmin diameter when fully grown.

Leaves.--General form: Spear to heart-shaped. Diameter: 18-22 mm wideand 20-23 mm long. Texture: Leatherlike. Aspect: Shiny, hairy. Veins:Upperside: visible; underside: well pronounced, light green, shiny;light green between the veins. Color (upperside): Yellow-Green Group 147A. Color (underside): Yellow-Green Group 148 D. Petiole: Strong upright,reddish green, hairy.

Flowers.--Buds: Size: 3-4 mm just before opening. Shape: Bell-shaped.Color: Light green. Sepals: Five (5). Color: Greenish brown. Calyx:Shape: Funnel-shaped. Aspect: Spear-shaped, hairy. Peduncle: Character:Strong, wirelike, upright hairy. Color: Brownish green. Individualflowers: Size: 20-23 mm. Shape: Semi-double, violet-shaped, (7-9 petalsper flower); occasionally single. Color (upperside): Red Group 56 D andlighter. Under cooler temperatures and more intensive lighting, thepinkish touch tends to intensify. Color (underside): Red Group 56 D andlighter. Borne: Each flower stem carries 5 and more flowers on strong,upright peduncle that are free standing above the leaves, therebyforming a compact bouquet. Flowering habit: Flowers 10-11 weeks afterplanting an unrooted plantlet.

Reproductive organs.--Stamens: Two (2), mostly hidden due to flowerform. Anthers: 2 composed of 4 anther cells, seed capsule pushesslightly through. Filaments: Yellowish green, 2 mm long. Styles: 3-4 mmlong, white, base of ovary light green and hairy.

Roots.--Normally developed, white when young, turning slightly brownishwhen older.

Disease resistance: Good.

General observations: Little Pearl is a super miniature violet, whichdoes not grow taller than 5-6 cm. The very light pinkish white,semi-double flowers are composed of 7-9 petals, the ones in the centerbeing much smaller and covering up the anthers. Occasionally the flowersare single and have a pink tinge in the center. The flowers are verylong-lasting and non-dropping. Little Pearl has continuous bloomingcharacteristics, and under good growing conditions it will not stopblooming. A nice bouquet of flowers free standing above the leavesdevelops approximately 10-11 weeks after planting an unrooted plantlet.Each of the 8 and more strong flower stems carries 5 and more flowers.The medium green leaves are spear to heart-shaped.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of African violet named LittlePearl, as described and illustrated, and particularly characterized byits miniature growth habit; very light pinkish white, semi-doubleflowers; 7-9 petals per flower, the ones in the center being muchsmaller and covering up the anthers; strong stems which curve toward thecenter to form a compact bouquet above the leaves; profuse andcontinuous flowering; medium green, spear to heart-shaped leaves;flowering 10-11 weeks after planting of unrooted shoot, and by its longlasting and non-dropping flowers.